Apple Reportedly Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Orders by Up to 20%

MW Contributor · 2026-10-10T16:59:29+08:00

Apple has told some suppliers to reduce production of components for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max after weaker demand for its new flagship phones, according to a Nikkei Asia report published on 9 October. The report, citing people familiar with the matter, said October component orders for the two premium models were cut by 15 to 20 percent from what Apple originally requested. Apple has been more careful about shipments since early September. It is not yet clear whether further reductions will follow in November, as the cuts affect suppliers with different production lead times. The reported cause is soft consumer demand linked to higher prices. In the United States, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at 1,199 dollars and the Pro Max at 1,299 dollars, both up 100 dollars from last year. The increases follow surging memory chip costs, which have climbed as technology firms buy supplies for artificial intelligence data centres. Apple had already raised prices for iPads and MacBooks in June, saying it could no longer absorb the cost of memory and storage chips. The report added that softer demand from late August into October could partly reflect Apple's new launch schedule. The company released its premium models first, while the standard iPhone 18 and the next iPhone Air are expected only in spring next year. The situation in Malaysia differs from the United States. The iPhone 18 Pro still starts at RM5,499 and the Pro Max at RM5,999, matching last year's launch prices. Only the higher storage tiers cost more, with the 1TB models up RM1,000. Apple did however raise prices of the older models it continues to sell here, including the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e, by RM300 each after the launch. Market data from China also paints a different picture from the supply chain report. Counterpoint Research found that iPhone 18 Pro series sales in the first three days after launch were 12 percent higher than the iPhone 17 Pro series managed across its entire first week last year, giving Apple a 33 percent share of China's smartphone market for the week of 14 to 20 September. Nikkei Asia noted that lower shipment volumes may not necessarily hurt Apple's revenue, as the new Pro models are priced higher than their predecessors. The report also signals uncertainty for the iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable phone, which opens for pre-order on 16 October and goes on sale on 23 October in Malaysia at RM9,499. Apple has not commented on the reported cuts, and Reuters could not independently verify the report

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October 10, 2026 at 4:59 pm
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Apple has told some suppliers to reduce production of components for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max after weaker demand for its new flagship phones, according to a Nikkei Asia report published on 9 October.
The report, citing people familiar with the matter, said October component orders for the two premium models were cut by 15 to 20 percent from what Apple originally requested. Apple has been more careful about shipments since early September. It is not yet clear whether further reductions will follow in November, as the cuts affect suppliers with different production lead times.
The reported cause is soft consumer demand linked to higher prices. In the United States, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at 1,199 dollars and the Pro Max at 1,299 dollars, both up 100 dollars from last year. The increases follow surging memory chip costs, which have climbed as technology firms buy supplies for artificial intelligence data centres. Apple had already raised prices for iPads and MacBooks in June, saying it could no longer absorb the cost of memory and storage chips.
The report added that softer demand from late August into October could partly reflect Apple’s new launch schedule. The company released its premium models first, while the standard iPhone 18 and the next iPhone Air are expected only in spring next year.
The situation in Malaysia differs from the United States. The iPhone 18 Pro still starts at RM5,499 and the Pro Max at RM5,999, matching last year’s launch prices. Only the higher storage tiers cost more, with the 1TB models up RM1,000. Apple did however raise prices of the older models it continues to sell here, including the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e, by RM300 each after the launch.
Market data from China also paints a different picture from the supply chain report. Counterpoint Research found that iPhone 18 Pro series sales in the first three days after launch were 12 percent higher than the iPhone 17 Pro series managed across its entire first week last year, giving Apple a 33 percent share of China’s smartphone market for the week of 14 to 20 September.
Nikkei Asia noted that lower shipment volumes may not necessarily hurt Apple’s revenue, as the new Pro models are priced higher than their predecessors. The report also signals uncertainty for the iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable phone, which opens for pre-order on 16 October and goes on sale on 23 October in Malaysia at RM9,499. Apple has not commented on the reported cuts, and Reuters could not independently verify the report
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